What do YOU look for in a horse?

Do you ever ask yourself what is most important to you when looking for a horse. Where do you start? How do YOU make that final decision?
I think sometimes when we’ve been in the business for so long we just take for granted that we are able to choose the right horse but do we really know how we arrive at our decisions? Can we actually access that knowledge in our heads that we’ve accumulated over the years and successfully convey our thoughts to others when they ask? Sure some of it is gut feeling but what other advice can any of you offer to new (or re-born) buyers of the Morgan breed?

6 Responses to What do YOU look for in a horse?

Excellent question kad. I know that I would never be able to sort through the massive amount of choices available all by myself. I am lucky to have trainers that can assess my abilities and take an educated guess at what my future holds in riding/driving. Others folks don’t always have that convenience so I think this post will be a great help to many of the Morgan shoppers out there.

For the most part I know what I’m looking for in a horse and can tell in a split second if I want to know more about the horse.

First thing I look at is the head…my horses HAVE to have wonderful expressions. The second thing I look at is how the neck attached to the shoulder. I’m a huge fan of Hillock Showson and his get. The next thing I normally look at is the horses back. A long back normally means my western horse is going to have a tougher time collecting up so I like a short straight back.

I train my own horses so for the most part the amount of training a horse has doesn’t really bother me too much. I’m always looking for the diamond in the rough so to speak

I think whatever your looking for in a horse,with help from a professinal or on your own please take your time looking.It’s important that the person”riding/driving” the horse gets along with the horse (not just the trainer it will be with) It’s difficult to watch people struggle when they are over horsed in my opinion.It should be a positive enjoyable time not a frustrated effort leaving you feeling unhappy with your ride/drive or even afraid……….Of course this is just my opinion…

I think you have an excellent point. Taking your time and finding something that YOU like and feel that you can bond with. Your post brought to mind the many kids that you see over mounted in the big shows. It scares me to death to watch sometimes.

Personally, I am a hind-end man. I see lots of horses that look great in the neck and shoulders, and have a great looking trot when looking at their front end. Some of these horses, though, look like their just shuffling along when looking at their hind end.

What I like is a powerful hind end. The best seem to be so powerful that their back legs come far up underneath their body. There is so much impulsion that they seem to float, barely touching the turf.

This one is really, really easy for me. The single biggest factor in purchasing a Morgan is the person representing the horse. I don’t think there is ANY way you can tell everything you need to know about a horse by riding one time in the arena it is used to working in on a daily basis. Additionally, I know EXACTLY how to work every horse in my barn so that they are primed and ready to go the day the buyer comes to try them. I know how to sell a good horse, and how to sell a bad horse, as does any good trainer. The difference for me? Full disclosure. I give it to my buyers whether they ask for it or not, and expect the same from any one I am buying from. I will take a good horse from a trainer I really trust over a great horse from a trainer I don’t. Additionally, when I try a horse, I ride an entire class on it, then lineup. After a minute or two, I will walk it to the in/outgate, and park out, stand. Wait. Then, when the horse really thinks the workout is over, I trot to the center., halt, and canter a figure 8. I think it is a very easy way to tell 1) how honest the horse is, 2) how willing the horse is, and 3) how really broke the horse is. Between a trustworthy trainer, and that series of tests, I have only once gotten a horse I really regretted for a client, and 20+ that I have been quite pleased with. BUT, keep in mind…. there is no perfect horse.